Rodent Control

Norway rats - Roof rats - Mice

Cold Weather Drives Rats Inside

Janus Drive Them Out

Rodents can enter and infest your home at any time of the year if they can find an opening. For example, overhanging tree branchs can bridge over to the roof line where heat and kitchen odors can then attract rats straightaway into your attic by way of an unsecured stack vent, damaged gable vent or other access point.

Rodents need dry and worm shelter especially during the fall and winter months. The National Weather Service has forecast an El Niño climate cycle to yield below-average temperatures and above-median precipitation for our area. That means we will have higher than normal rodent activity starting this fall and continuing through spring, 2016.

Note: We use a powerful all-in-one quick dry foam disinfectant solution that is highly effective against disease-causing bacteria. But it’s also a sanitizer that can rid an area of germs that can cause sickness. And it’s a powerful virucide, capable of killing Avian flu, Hepatitis and Hantavirus.

More About Rodents

Elements necessary to sustain rodent harborage

If rodents have found shelter and are now living in your attic, they must be finding food and water nearby, usually within 100 feet of the structure. In larger commercial settings, rodents find sustenance within the confines of the facility and may not leave to forage outside.

Food

Water

Shelter

Rodent control is a process…

The surest way to correct a rodent infestation inside a structure is to understand its biology and the factors that prove conducive for their development. Rodent control is a process of minimizing or removing conditions favorable for pest development: pest exclusion (sealing access points), trapping and occasionally exterior baiting prevent pests from spaces occupied by people or commodities.

Rodents are nocturnal and most of their activity goes unseen. That is why you need a professional who is knowledgeable of rodent behavior. Your Janus Service Specialist will inspect your home or business to find any points of entry and identify any conditions that support development. After completing the initial inspection, we will stage rodent control devices in accordance to the site evaluation. The next phase includes check-back services that we render over the course of a few weeks to ensure completion and that there are no further rodent issues. In addition, we do offer expert rodent proofing repairs to seal access points, as well as rodent waste debris removal and site disinfection: Service charges submitted upon request.

Rodent entry points and harborage sites

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Many structures have inherently similar rodent entry areas due to similarity in design. Heavily trafficked zones often have dark grease rub stains from frequent visits or gnaw marks. Check areas where utility lines enter the structure. Gaps around utility chases are common points of pest entry. Also inspect the foundation and eves for damaged or missing vent screens. Gable vents may safely be inspected with simple binoculars.

Damage caused by rats:

Rats consume and contaminate foodstuffs and animal feed. They also damage packaging materials in which foods and feed are stored. Rats and mice cause problems by gnawing on electrical wires, wood, carpet, and plastic. About 40% of fires of unknown origin is attributed to rodents chewing through electrical insulation. They also wreak havoc on attic insulation, as it is often used for nesting material.

Rodents spread diseases and cause significant damage each year…

Worldwide, rats and mice spread over 35 diseases. Salomella, Rickettsial pox, Hantavirus and Rat Bite Fever are among the diseases that can spread to humans directly, through handling of rodents, through contact with rodent feces, urine, or saliva, or through rodent bites.

Diseases carried by rodents can also be spread to humans indirectly, through ticks, mites or fleas that have fed on an infected rodent; all the more reason to rely upon Janus Pest Management for your pest and rodent needs.

Rodent identification:

Commensal Rodent Identification Key

Norway Rat: These rats can reach 16″ in length. Each female rat can give birth to 20 pups in her lifetime. Some factors affecting rat populations in cities include continuously mild winters, weather-related disasters, and encroachment of their habitats by new urban development.

Color: Usually grayish-brown, but color varies from a pure gray to a reddish-brown

Weight: 10-16 ounces; larger than Roof Rat

Length: 7-10 inches

Tail Length: Long as body

Body: Heavy and thick body, blunt nose

Ears: Relatively small; close to body

Eyes: Large & protruding black eyes

Lifespan: 5 to 12 months

droppings: ¾ inch long with blunt ends; dark color; found in groupings

Roof Rat: If there is plenty of food and shelter, Roof Rats will live in near to humans, particularly in attics, ceilings, or wall areas. Roof rats inhabiting upper areas of buildings or homes often gnaw on wires found there, possibly leading to fires, outages, and production down-time.

Color: Black to brownish-gray

Weight: 6-12 ounces

Length: 6-8 inches

Tail Length: 7-10 inches; longer than the body

Body: Thin, slender body, pointed nose

Ears: Relatively small; close to body

Eyes: Large & prominent eyes; color blind

Lifespan: 5 to 18 months

droppings: ½ inch long with pointed ends; dark color; found scattered

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House Mouse: Excellent hearing, vision, smell and touch have enabled the mouse to be highly adaptable to homes and indoor buildings. All they need is a 1/4″ opening to enter a building, so they often have find access to many places along the building’s perimeter.